Tuesday, April 8, 2008

New Guys on the Block---plus a gal

So after I posted early this morning we went outside to round up the ewes for the state vets visit for our annual scrapie check. As we were setting up we noticed that one of the yearling ewes looked as if she might be lambing. Well, as it turned out we were correct. Poor Paris---our shyest ewe overall---had to be rounded up and then put into the barn while the poor thing is starting to lamb. Of course I never would have gotten her in the barn without my husbands help so we had to do it.
The other reason for doing it is if she had had trouble lambing we could then help her without doing the commando routine out in the pasture trying to sneak up on her. Believe it or not---laboring ewes can run to a certain extent if they feel it necessary. Paris lambed like a pro considering all that went on--completely unaided. Way to go.
Anyway, we only have a small barn---16 x 32. Very small actually because Icelandics just really don't need serious barn space in our climate. Our barn is barely more than a "just had my lamb" space and a small amount of square bale storage and a place to "trap" them for shots/tagging or vet checks or whatever. Really we wouldn't have even had one except it rained so much the first year we had them I wanted a place to feed them were I didn't have to be in the rain the whole time---so the barn is more for me to stay dry in the winter :-)
But....in there today we had one pen with Princess and her two new lambs. One pen for Tippi and Aleda and their slightly older lambs. One pen for poor Paris---trying to have her lamb and another for the 4 girls not YET lambed. Jeepers! I didn't even have enough panels---I had to sacrifice a 16 footer to the cause and cut it down.
All worked out in the end though and the vet got everyone looked at and now we are good for another year. Finally---I have been able to get around to posting pictures of today "lamb haul". Oh yes---Paris had a precious little white ewe lamb that looks like a little angel lamb. Of course so far---to me---all the little white ewe lambs look like angels. Their faces are just a bit different looking than when color shades them :-)
One more thing---the little brown ram decided that it's never too soon to start caring for horns.





6 comments:

Anonymous said...

HOW adorable!!!

When were your lambs due? Are they coming early this year or right on time?

Anonymous said...

I'm such a sucker for little sheep and goats! In my next life, I want to be a shepherd . . .

Dancingfarmer said...

Anonymous---my lambs are about on time --though that is relative I suppose since they really don't have a definite due time. Just a frame of time from say...mid March until about mid to end of June. So I consider myself lucky they are coming at this time when all the grass is at it's best.

Anita---They are cute aren't they?
I think they would have to work hard to be ugly :-D

Anonymous said...

Anonymous is really Ashley. I'm being lazy and not logging in. Actally I'm not sure how to get a post with a real name so anom is just easier. :)

Sally is due April 15 and is bagged up pretty tight but not showing any symptoms other than being SO hungry most of the time.

Robbyn said...

Oh, these lambs are beautiful :) Mazel tov!

Dancingfarmer said...

Thanks Robbyn. Good luck Ashley.